Home / How much rent can I afford?
How much rent can I afford?
HUD considers a household cost-burdened when housing takes more than 30% of gross income. Enter your income to see your 30% budget and where typical rents fit.
Where the 30% rule comes from
HUD defines cost-burdened families as those who pay more than 30% of their income for housing, and severely burdened as more than 50%. It is a rule of thumb, not a law, and HUD's own researchers note its limits: a high earner can spend 40% and be fine, while a low earner at 30% may struggle. Use it with the pay after rent calculator, which looks at what is actually left.
Income here means gross income, before taxes. Rents are HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents, which include typical utilities.
- HUD PD&R Edge: Rental burdens and the 30 percent rule
- HUD: Fair Market Rents, FY2027 county-level data
Common questions
Is 30% of gross or take-home pay?
The HUD measure uses gross income. Because taxes come out first, 30% of gross is a larger share of your take-home pay.